Oct. 11, 2013

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez. / Associated Press

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Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

BOSTON — Jim Leyland rattled off the pitching rotation that he will use against the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series: Anibal Sanchez, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Doug Fister.

“In that order,” Leyland said on Friday.

He will start with the ERA champ tonight in Game 1.

He will bring in the presumed Cy Young winner.

And he will turn to the best pitcher in baseball in 2011, a guy who was incredible in Oakland.

Jack Morris, the former Tigers pitcher who is now an analyst, heaped praise on Verlander’s performance in Game 5 Thursday night against Oakland.

“You can’t pitch any better than he pitched,” Morris said. “Back to back starts against the same team? Just absolutely dominated.”

But Morris had high praise for the Red Sox, too.

And he said he would give an edge to Boston’s offense, because of the way they approach their at-bats.

“Even though the Tigers have names in the batting order, right now, I think Boston is going to grind out at bats a little better,” Morris said.

Morris gave the edge to Boston’s bullpen.

“Slightly,” he said. “The starters is a crapshoot. It depends on who shows up that day.”

The Red Sox counter with lefty Jon Lester in Game 1, then Clay Buchholz in Game 2, John Lackey in Game 3 and Jake Peavy in Game 4.

LINEUP TALK: No lineup has been announced for Detroit, but Tigers manager Jim Leyland said today that Jose Iglesias will start at shortstop Saturday in Game 1. Jhonny Peralta indicated he would play in leftfield, where he will face Fenway Park’s Green Monster.

LOADED ON THE BASES The Red Sox have a huge advantage on the bases against the Tigers. Boston has stolen 123 bases, while getting caught just 19 times. The Tigers have stolen 35 bases and have been caught 20 times.

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“The one thing that stands out with the base stealing and the overall tone of the base running, is to try to put as much pressure on the opposition as we can,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “And that means running smart. And not just giving outs away.”

Leyland said the Tigers have improved.

The pitchers are better at holding runners on first and picking off runners.

“Well, if you looked at our last couple of series with Kansas City, who is a real running team, you’ll find we did a good job of that,” Leyland said. “We picked them off about three times.”

But Leyland conceded they won’t have much stop against centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who has 52 stolen bases and has been caught just four times.

“I don’t know that we’ll be able to get Ellsbury,” Leyland said. “That’s kind of a catch-22. I think you actually have to — you can’t get consumed by that as a pitcher, because then you make too many mistakes with the hitter.

“We’ll have a plan. We’ll try to watch it close. We’ll try to contain them. It’s not going to be a perfect deal. But you know, I don’t know how much that will be a factor. I know they push a little bit more than the Oakland club, to be honest with you. It’s a great point, just an extra thing you have to be aware of. We’ll be prepared for that.”

STINGING LOSS: Leyland made some interesting comments about last year’s World Series.

“I will say this, we were embarrassed last year in the World Series,” he said. “When you lose four straight, it’s not good.”

But now, the Tigers are four wins from the World Series.

“They’re putting a real good team out there and we’re putting a real good team out there,” Leyland said. “They’re putting a real good pitcher out there and we’re putting a real good pitcher out there. That’s what the Final Four is supposed to be.”